Secrets of a Hair Chalk Addict

I like, freaking LOVE, hair chalk and am crazy excited that SELF's awesome beauty team featured the radass trend recently. (Yep -- radass. I'm trying to make that happen now) But, as an self-proclaimed hair chalk connoisseur, there are few...

I like, freaking LOVE, hair chalk and am crazy excited that SELF's awesome beauty team featured the radass trend recently. (Yep -- radass. I'm trying to make that happen now) But, as an self-proclaimed hair chalk connoisseur, there are few lessons I learned the hard way. Instead of letting you guys walk around with random streaks on your clothes or a halo of chalk around your hairline -- both of which I've done -- I'm going to pass along some of my tips.

First, always, always put product in your hair before you apply the chalk. Kevin Murphy (who created the awesome Neon Color Bug pictured here) told me about that and man oh man was he right. It doesn’t matter if you use gel, dry shampoo, hair spray, all three. As long as your strands are super product-y, you’ll be good. My editor is currently

When you apply your hair chalk of choice, never apply less than two inches away from your hairline, or the color will run like crazy if you sweat the tiniest bit. No thanks. Also, drape a towel of your shoulders when you apply — or you’ll risk chalking your outfit, too.

If the color isn’t bright enough on your hair, use a white-colored chalk base. It’s like nail polish: white base makes colors on top pop. This is also a good move if you’re blonde, since it’ll make it easier to wash the chalk out later (sometimes blondes need to wash twice to get everything out). Try this cheapie version — it’s only a few bucks.

Finally, always, always, always, seal that stuff in with hairspray. Go wild. Spray the hell out of your hair. We’re loving Vidal Sassoon Pro Series Repair Spray; it helps strengthen strands while locking in style. I’m warning you: Skip this and you’ll be a mess of neon.